Staying on Track – completion in vocational education and training

A longitudinal interview study following vocational students with low grades from lower secondary education through upper secondary vocational education and training (VET).

In Norway, as in many other countries, much research has been conducted to investigate causes and consequences of dropout from upper secondary education. However, far less is known about why some students manage to complete upper secondary education, despite facing adverse circumstances. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore what helps young people with low grades from lower secondary school succeed in education and training.

The students were interviewed up to three times: as vocational students in their second year of VET, as apprentices (year 4) and after completing their education. In the project, we are interested in how the students themselves explain what helps them succeed in both school and apprenticeship training. In addition, we have conducted interviews with the students’ contact teachers in their second year of VET with the aim of gaining insight into how they support students who might be at risk of not completing their education.

So far in the project, we have shed light on various aspects of the learning environment at school and in the workplace, as well as students’ parental support, to explain what promotes motivation, mastery and participation in upper secondary VET among students who may be at risk of not completing upper secondary education. Furthermore, we have analysed vocational teachers’ relational work with the students. The study is thus an important supplement to dropout research.